Piano Full of Memories
by MeredithBrody
Summary: Brody sits down at Pride's piano and thinks about Emily. Follow on from "Here I Should Stay". (spoilers through 1x14)


**First funny thing, without the AN, this chapter hit 1701 words in word. This satisfies the Trekkie nerd in me. Also, big thanks to PinkAngel17 for the title and to tiggerdavis1970 for sending me an idea about a piano. This isn't exactly what you requested, and I'll keep that in my plot bunny document for a later date. This is sort of a follow up/epilogue to "Here I Should Stay". I can't decide if I should leave it here or not.  
Shin xx**

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She hadn't sat down at a piano in years, and she wasn't sure why she did now. She'd been taught to play by her mother when she was very young, but she'd never stuck at it. Not the same way Emily had. Anything beautiful or artistic had been right in Emily's wheelhouse. Merri had preferred the sciences, the math. But she'd been good at it, and she still remembered the notes.

Over the last few months she'd heard Pride or Laurel playing more than once, and every time she had she'd wondered whether she'd still be able to play. In her teens she'd give up for months at a time, focus on soccer or field hockey. Anything where she could get dirty and play against others. Enjoying the physicality of sports. She and Emily had shared a room, shared all their classes and most of their hobbies. But just as Merri hadn't been as interested in the arts, Emily hadn't been as interested in the sports.

There was something about the piano in the corner of the office that had been drawing Merri to it. Maybe it was because it looked just like the one on their corridor at school growing up, the one where she and Emily had once played the most intense simultaneous performance of chopsticks just to prove to their entire house that the Brody twins could do that better than anyone. Or maybe it was because the last time she and Emily had spoken it had been over one of those pianos.

This was the first time she'd sat here, and she still had no intention of playing. She was only here because after the last two weeks, and the fallout from what happened with Agent Hackett and the _Moutrie_ investigation, she'd wanted to feel close to Emily again. To look at her art she'd need to travel home to Michigan, something she really didn't feel like doing as it would require her seeing her parents. Once upon a time she'd had Emily to share the "go between" with, now it was just her and she hated it. So finding some way to feel closer to her sister then she found one. Pride's piano.

So she'd sat here just staring at the keys, wondering what Emily would say to her now. Wondering if her sister would have appreciated the way her life had turned out. She'd probably kick her in the ass for letting things go to hell after she died. Ending her engagement, running for as long as she had. Then she'd probably want to know all about Pride, and about her job. Then probably kick her ass again for getting involved with him.

Really, the point was she missed her sister, and she would probably continue missing her sister for quite some time. They were twins, they'd been together since conception until that one day 8 years earlier. She was still just sitting at the piano, staring at the keys when she heard a voice behind her. "What you doing down here?" She looked over her shoulder to see Pride watching her from the archway.

"Just looking at the piano. Flight of fancy." She didn't feel the need to explain everything in her mind, and unlike if it was LaSalle checking on her, Pride wouldn't push her. Maybe he just expected her to tell him when she was ready, or maybe he just knew that if it was important she would have told him straight off.

"Can you play?" He asked, keeping his voice low then sliding onto the bench beside her, kissing her cheek as he did. Clearly he remembered the conversation they'd had last autumn, when Laurel had been here to talk about bringing the piano back to begin with. "We spoke about pianos before but I never thought about whether you could or not."

"I learnt, when I was a kid." That was still the truth, she'd learnt. She probably couldn't read the music any more, but she remembered where to place her hands. She leant into him a little more and decided it was time to let him in more. So she took a breath and smiled, thinking about those early lessons. "My mom taught me and Emily at the same time. Emily kept up with it, I didn't. I still played from time to time, but not regularly." She'd mostly played when Emily had dared her to.

"Think you could play now?" There was a small hint of a challenge in his voice, and that proved he knew her well. The most sure fire way to get her to agree to anything was to make it sound as though she was being challenged to do it. She wouldn't even really need to be challenged to try this one, she would just need a bit of time, and to be sure that LaSalle was nowhere nearby.

"I don't know. I haven't tried." She hadn't actually dared touch the keys. It wasn't worth risking it, especially given that it was a family heirloom for him. Not that she'd ever broken a piano before. _That_ really had been all Emily. Or 75% Emily. After such a long time Merri didn't remember entirely.

"Want to?" He tease, snaking his arm around her waist and resting it on the opposite hip to where he sat. She dropped her hand to rest on top of his, mostly because she had a paranoid fear that he would try to tickle her.

"You'd let me loose on your piano?" She laughed, making to press one of the keys, but going slowly enough that he could catch her hand before she got anywhere near. That just made her chuckle, and realise that sometimes it was fun to know someone well enough personally to anticipate what they'd do when she purposefully pressed buttons.

"With supervision. Of course." He held on to her hand and looked at her seriously, which just added to her rising giggles at the fact he was being so protective of the piano he'd just offered to let her play.

She couldn't help but laugh a little at that. He wasn't just going to leave her alone after a very long time of not even attempting to play. As for whether she'd be able to bring herself to do it while someone was watching was another matter entirely. She'd give it a try, but she'd never really liked having an audience. "Of course."

"If you've forgotten I'll teach you." That was a nice offer, and a lot more than she had been expecting. If she'd forgotten she'd probably forgotten for a good reason. There was no reason she'd need to remember how to play the piano, but it was still a nice thing for him to offer.

"You don't have to do that, King." She wanted him to know it wasn't at all something she expected, and really she wasn't sure that she wanted to remember, or that she wanted to learn again if she had forgotten. That wasn't really her thing again.

"Then why are you here?" He asked gently, and she thought for a minute about the best way she could tell him. There was no question about her telling him, because if she didn't it would end up biting her on the ass before long. Eventually she thought of how best to say it, and to make him understand.

"Because this was a way to feel close to Emily again." She rubbed the top of the piano and smiled sadly. It really was one of the only ways she had here. "I told you she was an artist? Well, that included music too. She preferred graphics and paint, but music was something she used to relax." The amount of times Emily would be stressed over homework or tests and she'd just sit at the piano and ignore everything else.

"That's what I use music for too." Pride laughed and gave her a gentle squeeze, making it plain that she knew he was kidding. This suddenly reminded her that earlier she'd thought she was on her own, then he'd been there. Had she somehow missed him earlier.

"I didn't know anyone was here?" It was definitely easier to just ask than make a random conclusion on her own, especially as it would probably be wrong.

He shrugged, and that made her finally realise exactly how dark it had begun to get outside. The light inside had prevented her from really noticing, and when he'd come in she hadn't really seen much other than him and the piano. "I probably wasn't when you sat down, but it's getting late so I came looking for you. Never expected to find you here."

"What time is it?" She asked, not quite able to twist her head far enough to see either his watch or the clock on the kitchen wall. She could have guessed, but it wouldn't have been accurate, so asking was a better plan.

"A little after 9." He said quietly again, and she wondered if he was trying to make it seem even later than it already was. Which she really shouldn't be surprised about. It was one of the things he did all the time to try and get them all to clock off before they passed out. The worrying thing was it worked.

"I should go home, and get some sleep." It was late, and she was tired. So sleep was almost certainly a good idea.

"You probably should." He nodded in agreement. After one more squeeze he pulled his arm back, and she kissed him on the cheek as she stood up. It wasn't until she was already halfway back to the arch that it was obvious he hadn't gotten up as well.

"Well, you coming?" She asked over her shoulder when she was already at the archway, wondering if that would be enough to pull him away from the piano. She heard the scrambling a second later and was glad that her gamble had paid off. She just didn't feel like being on her own now, so at least she could depend on him, and know he'd sit there with her.


End file.
